Cable reel sling



United States Patent Robert H. Caldwell 205 S. Kosciusko, Jacksonville,Ill. 62650 [21] Appl. No. 742,261

[22] Filed July 3, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 22, 1970 [72] Inventor [54]CABLE REEL SLING 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 294/81 [51] Int. Cl B66c 1/10 [50] Field of Search 24/206;

Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-W. Scott CarsonAttorney- Rummler & Snow ABSTRACT: The disclosure describes a cable reelsling adapted to safely and conveniently handle different sizes of heavytelephone cable reels and the like in close quarters. The cable reelsling is characterized by being easily adjustable to handle reels ofdifferent axial lengths and different diameters, having positive safetyfeatures and adapted to be used withor without a support bar or axlethrough the center hub of the reel. One feature of the sling is theprovision of a spreader bar with spacers along the top engaged by a pairof pear-shaped links, which can be slid along the spreader bar in anupward turned position to adjust for various reel widths, and thenturned downward and locked between adjacent spacers. The links areaffixed to chains, having length-adjustable grab hooks, and the chains,in turn, support at their ends lifting fixtures adapted to engage eithera bar axle or, be turned 180 and provide a supporting arm to engage thecenter bore of the hub of any type of cable reel.

E 46 2 l MAM: 2 3a /4 2 /0 30 3e 42 l l 40 4 I l 42 46 r 0 1'5 CABLEREEL SLING I BACKGROUND or T E INVENTION The handling of heavy telephonecable reels, weighing up to about 5,000 lbs., having diameters up to ,7feet and measuring in axial length from about 18 inches to 42 incheswithin and from the confined space of a van-type truck presents adifficult problem, especially where factors of compactness, convenience,safety are paramount and both supply and construction requirements areto be met. One structural design problem required that the sling havevery low section weight for use with 7 foot diameter reels in van-typetrucks. The sling must be light enough for one man to handle, heavyenough to overhaul lifting line or block without a load, support amaximum load of about 5,000 lbs. and allow the load or reel to be turned360. The sling must be usable-with or without an axle bar as well asprovide safe and fool-proof adjustability. The sling must also beadapted to handle the reels with a winch or tow truck to snake or rollthem over ditches and difficult terrain as well as to be suitable forordinary lifting purposes. A minimum of a 3 to 1 safety factor had to bemet and the sling had to be easily attached and detached and alsocapable of such attachment and detachment in confined quarters understorage supply conditions and within the limited space on a truck bed.

SUMMARY oF THE INVENTION The invention concerns a cable reel slingmeeting all of the foregoing requirements comprising a spreader bar witha central swivel eye bolt, for attachment to a lifting means, and havingspacer lugs along the top surface engaged by a pair of pearshaped linksslidable therealong in an upturned position and locked therebetween in adown-turned position, from which adjustable lifting chains are supportedhaving dual-functioned lifting fixtures at the ends which engage an axlein one position and the borehole of the cable reel in another position.In one embodiment the lifting fixture can be a slotted plate or a hookmember where an axle is used within the hub of the reel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of this invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the sling of this invention, shownsupporting a cable reel on an axle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view partly in cross section, of the cablereel sling of this inventionsupporting a cable reel without an axle;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the grab hook in position engagingand foreshorten ing the lifting chain;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the spreader bar to show the lockedposition of the slidable end link on the spreader bar;

FIG. 6 is a view of FIG. 5 with the slidable end link rotated 180 to anunlocked or slidable position on the spreader bar;

and I FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative form of lifting vfixture to be used with the cable reel sling of this invention.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention will be described in relation toa preferred embodiment for use in handling cable reels, it beingunderstood that the embodiment shown can be used to handle other objectswhere safety, convenience, adjustability and adaptability are requiredto move heavy objects to and from various positions or drag heavyobjects along any type of terrain. Thus, although specific forms,materials of construction and dimensions of the parts will be referredto, these are not limiting and the features of this invention can beincorporated in other types of slings, catches, rope-net harnesses andthe like. Also, more than one sling combination, as will be tain objectswhere the number of suspension points must be varied to obtain properbalance for safe and convenient handling.

Referring to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, the sling of thisinvention is shown to comprise a round, solid, spreader bar 10 with ashorter length of seamless tubing 12 telescoped over the middle portion,as reinforcement. A borehole 14 is drilled vertically through the centerof the spreader bar 10 and the tube 12 to receive the specially forgedhigh strength eyebolt 16 having the U-bolt l8 affixed thereto by meansof the cross-bolt 19. The e'yebolt 16 has an elastic stop nut 20 holdingit to the assembly such that the-spreader bar 10 and tube 12 are free toswivel or turn thereabout through 360. The spreader bar 10 has a disc 22at each end which is of slightly larger diameter than the bar 10 to forma circumferential flange thereabout. The discs 22 can .be centered onthe ends of the bar 10 or oficenter with the flange portion on the upperside, as desired, and are affixed by weld- Also welded or otherwiseaffixed to the bar 10, and evenly spaced between the ends of the tube 12and the discs 22 are a series of stop members 24, with the uniform andequal spaced therebetween indicated at 26. The stop members 24 are shownas flat-sided half-discs (see also FIGS. 5 and 6) with. rounded topsurfaces or edges although they may be triangular or square or any othershape.

A pair of pear-shaped, weldless links 30 is used on the spreader bar 10having an eye portion 32 which fits around and encompasses the bar andeach having a U-shaped lobe 34 with an opening or slot 36 therein. Asseen in FIG. 6 the stop members 24 are narrower in thickness'than thewidth of the slots 36 in the lobes 34. The links 30 are in turnconnected with the pear-shaped split missing links 38,which, in turn,are connected to the sling chains 40. Each link 30 has a grab hook 42;As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the links 30 have their eye portions 32normally engaging the spreader bar 10 and the lobes 34 normally carryingthe missing links 38 in the load-carrying position. The grab hooks 42are retained on the missing links 38 by means of their eye shanks 44(see FIG. 4) and each has a hook end 46 so shaped as to engage aroundany desired link 48 of the chain or through the eye thereof, toeffectively shorten the sling chains in a manner known in this art. Thisarrangement comprises the means for shortening the chains 40 uniformlyor to different lengths to accommodate different shaped loads or toorient the load to a particular angle for placement into a desiredposition upon release.

Again referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 it is seen that the links 30 have theireye members 32 encompassing the body of the spreader bar 10 with the topportion engaged by the space 26 between adjacent stop members 24 alongthe top of the bar in the normal or load carrying position. Each link 30canbe positioned along the bar 10 to any of the spaces 26 and includingthe spaces 50 between the outermost stop member 24 and the discs 22 orthe spaces 52, between the innermost stop member 24 and the end of thetube 12. This movement is readily accomplished by turning the links 30upwardly about (see FIG. 6) so that the slot or opening 36 registerswith the stop member 24, with the link 38 held in the top end of thisopening, and sliding the links 30 to any of the other spaces 24, 50 or52. Once in position the links 30 and 38 are released or rotated to theload position shown in FIGS. Once the links 30 are in the position shownin FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, they cannot be accidentally moved from theparticular space then occupied.

The lower ends of the sling chains 40 carry the lower pearshapedconnecting links '54 which are affixed by means of their eyes 56 to thelifting fixtures 60 through the holes 62 in the top portions thereof.The fixtures 60, in one embodiment, are shown in the form of flat plateswith the lower hook members 64 (FIG. 2) formed therein by the diagonalslot 66 having a rounded end 68 adapted, in this instance, toaccommodate a shaft 70 representing the object or load. In theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the fixtures 60 each have a shortshaft 72 extending from the side thereof between the holes 62 .and theslot 66. At-the ends of the shafts 70 a flat round [disc 741s welded orotherwise affixed offcentertoward the top end of the fixture 60 to formthe arcuate flange '76 th'ereabout of larger diameter thanthe body ofthe shafts 72. Asseen in FIG. 2, the center'line ofthe shaft'72 or disc74 is not necessarily coincident with the center lines of the hole 62and the rotinded end 68 of the slot 66,. Alternatively, the shafts72 canbe affixedto the flat side of "the fixture 60 at any desired locatioiithereof including the flatside of the hook member 64.

' This assembly, just des'cribed, comprises one form ofslingcontemplated by the instant invention which can be used in a variety ofmaterial handling operations-For this-purpose the U-bolt 18 is affixedto any .suitablemeans for 'raisingand lowering same such asthe hook 80which is in turn affixed'to a winch cabie,'differentiallhoist,hydraulichoist or, as'shown, the block and tackle 182 ,the lowermostsheave of which is fiit'ed .tothe hook 80 by means of thefcrossbolt 84.Thehook SGfnay-havea s'afety hasp (not shown) toprev'ent itsdisengagement fromethe sling assembly. The block and tackle or th'er.hoist arrangement, toillustrate, is carried 'by a trolley running onehorizontaleye-beam'extending from a van truck which parts are notillustrated'The hoist means can also be a ci'ane orjback-hoeh I Y t v Inthe preferred embodiment of this invention theload on the' shaft 70comprises the cable reel86 carrying the cable 88 thereon'and having acentral bore "90 extending through the;

cireularten'd flanges 92. The core. or hub of the reel 86 u'pon 4operations,-even though .the' terrain may be rough er muddy and one orboth sling chains go, slackat intervals during the dragging operations.For some dragginggoperations or short movements of the reels on aroadside,'for;example, the fix-.

tures 60 can be .usedin the positions shown'in FIG. 3.

In order to facilitate both handling of the heavy reels in 7 closequarters'and the" snaking operations theshafis 72 can be shdivn inFIG: 1. In this instancetlie block and tackle 82 is af- 3.

which the cable or wire 88jis wbundican be formed ofhard.

wood or steel and a full reel is representative of a deadv weight.cornmodate the desiredflength of cable. The representationof he shownin nos. 1 and 2, the two links so are spacedfrom each otherralong thespreader-bar 10 a distanceless than the length of the shaft ,70 and theshaft 70 engaged by the slots 66 and hooks 64 of the fixtures'60, inthis instance, with the shafts 72'directedoutwar'dly. Assuming that thereel 86 is to 'beloaded on a van truck, the hoist82 is raised, theloadis pushed back on the trolley running on the l-beam and then loweredinto the truck;*T'he sling takes up very little more width than thereeltitself withthe exception of the shafts 72 vwhich need only be '3inches to 4 inches-long as will be j described. The'fixtures'are easily'remioved from the shaft 70 by 'sflacking off and sliding the hooks6 4from under the shaft.

For purposes of storage of empty or loaded reels or placing ree'i'son atruck wherelimited space is available, the shafi 70 maybe eliminated andthe fixtures reversed or turned '180",

' the sling chains 40 into the position shown in FIG. 3. The

72 are then inserted into the: central bore 90 so that the flanges 76engage the edges 96 of the flanges 92 on the hub of I ofiiip toabout-5,0001%. The flanges'92 can be of any desired diameter in relationto the core sizeof the reel in order to ac' eliminated and the modifiedform of pear shaped fixturezfl) shown in no. 1 is-usedi In thisembodiment thejslot as es been replaced bythe-borehole 98adaptedtoengage the ends of the shaft and'prevent accidentaldisengagement betweenthe fixture and theshaft. The modified fixture60' 'can also be 1constructed, with the shafts 72 locatedthereon, if desired,.as 1 stillanother alternative form of the fixturesfil). lnsteadofa plate 'or' flatconfiguration, the fixture 60 can-be formed of 1 rod material, like alink, and theboi'e98 can be oblong.

0D. and the stub shafts 72are 3% inches long formed of extra heavy[54-inch pipe. The discs 74 areformed of -36 inch-steel plate and are 2%inches in diameter. A protrusion or nubbin" of this size will fitintotheholes 90. of most commercial cable reels. All of the pear links aredropforged, heat treated and weldless, being load rated at 2900 lbs.with a five-to-one safety 7 factor to an 'ultimate'of 14,500 lbisfl hechain 40 is 8i inch alloy, steel proof tested at 13,200 lbs- Thefixtures.60. are formed of 56 inch structural steel plateand thefixtures 60' are formedof 9i! inch drop forged, heat-treated weldlesssling link.

with a l6,800 lb. ultimatebreaking load; The lifting eye 18 and eyebolt16 are drop forged,;heattreated?steel, shackle rated at 15,000 lbs-1Tb:ultimate breakingload of thesling L becomes about 26,400 lbs. t i

The bar lo'has' been described bar. It is to be understood that the 10can have any desired cross-sectional configuration i.e., square, oval,etc. or it can be hollow. The eye portions'32 of the links 30 would beshaped to encompass a sufficient-amount of the surface of the bar 10between the stop members 24 to be supported thereby. The stop members 24need not be, on the top portion of the bar 10 and can be on either sideas long as the locking and sliding functions are, retained. The stopmembers 24 can extend along theireel and the sling is ready to lift areel without the use of theishafifl'he links 54 can have swivelfittingsattaching to the sliiig chains 40, if desired, to facilitatethis repositioning of the idt't'ttional motion without a swivel.

iel 'a tive positions of the, fixtures 6,0 in relation to the ends'ofthemed. Normally, the sling chains 40 will allow this degree of Once thefull reel has been lowered th m the truck it is the pragtice to hold itan the ground and-unwind the cable the iefrorn- This would be done withthe shaft 70 in place as shown in FIG. 1. Another practice is to snakeor drag the unloaded reels across all kinds of terrain to locations notaccessij blew the van trucks as by means of an off-the-road truck orJeep" Thisoperation can be performed by the sling shown in F I95. 1 and2 by detaching the hoist and affixing the U-bolt 18 q'idrag line leadingfrom'the truck'or from a winch.,ln so dothe fixtures 60 are positionedwith their slots opening dowpwardly so that they'will not disengage fromthe shaft 70. Thief-weight of the chain 40 and the offcenter location ofthe slot along with the weight of the fixtures facilitate the constarttengagement of the fixture with the shaft 70 during these part, or all ofthe length of the bar-l0 and are equally spaced from the center forbalance.

Similarly, the reinforcing'collar or sleeve 12 can be made part of thebar 10 oreliminated, as long as the bar retains sufficient rigidity tosustain the loads contemplated by the. sling. For some purposes cablescan be substituted for the chains 40,

as the flexible load-bearing member, where length adjusts ments are notrequired. Also the links 30 can be made integral with the fixtures-60-bymeansof a rigid-supporting bar, rod or I hangenOther alterationscan bemade in the structures shown, without departing from theinvention andany com- 1 bination of the structures shown can be used.

While this invention has been described fully and completely withspecial emphasis upon certain preferred embodiments,

it is'to be understood that withinthe scope of the appended claims thisinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. e

I claim: i i 1. A sling for hoisting heavy objects comprising: a. anelongated cylindricalspre aderbar having means intermediate the ends forattachment to a hoist;

b. a pair of keyhole shaped links on said'spreader bar each having aneye portion and an intermediate connecting U- shaped lobe, the eyeportion encompassing said spreader bar, the inner diameter of theeyeportion being substantially equal to the outside diameter of saidspreader bar,

and the inner diameter of the lobe, being substantially less than theouter diameter of the spreader bar;

and shown asa round solid I c. means to hold the eye portion of saidlinks at a number of fixed distances along said bar .on each side ofsaid attaching means;

d. a load-bearing member attached to saidlobe of each link;

e. a fixture at an extended end of said load-bearing member having meansto engage a heavy object;

f. said means to hold said links at said fixed distances comprises aseries of spaced protuberances along said spreader bar;

g. said links are rotatable on said spreader bar to place said lobes inregistry with said protuberances and movable therealong to any positionbetween said protuberances; and

h. said links are rotatable to a load-carrying position with said lobesupporting said load-bearing member and said.

eye portion held between the spaced protuberances. 2. A sling inaccordance with claim 1 in which said protube- 3. A sling for cablereels having a central axle bore comprising:

a. a cylindrical, elongated spreader bar having a hoisting eyeintermediate the ends;

b. a pair of keyhole shaped links on said spreader bar;

c. said links each comprising an eye portion encompassing said bar andan interconnected lobed opening said eye portion having an insidedimension substantially equal to the outside diameter of said bar, and,said lobe having an inside dimension substantially less than the outsidediameter of said bar;

d. a series of spaced protuberances along said spreader bar definingspaces to receive said links and of a size sufficient to pass throughthe smaller lobed openings of said links when said lobe opening isshifted on said bar from a load-carrying position in which said eyeportion is held between the spaced protuberances;

e. flexible load-carrying means affixed to the smaller lobed opening ofsaid links; and

f. a fixture attached to the extended end. of said load-carrying means,said fixture having a protuberance fixedly secured at one end to saidfixture and a hook at the free end thereof.

